


In Somno

by froxyn



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-03-30
Updated: 2008-03-30
Packaged: 2017-10-08 21:23:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/froxyn/pseuds/froxyn





	In Somno

Title: In Somno  
Author: Froxyn  
Rating: FRAO  
Pairing: Buffy/Giles  
Synopsis: A demon attack offers some clarity.  
Timeline: Sometime after season 5, but mainly it's AU.  
Author's Notes: Special thanks to [wyvernwolf](http://wyvernwolf.livejournal.com) and [laurtew](http://laurtew.livejournal.com) for having a look at this for me. I really do appreciate both of you!

 

She ran up the stairs, stopping suddenly when she saw Willow and Xander turn to look at her, their expressions full of worry and concern. Her eyes darted towards the bed and she gasped when she saw the large bite mark on his back.

"What happened to him?"

Xander shook his head slowly. "I don't know. We came over to help with research. We didn't even know he was actually home until we heard him moan. He didn't answer us, so…we came up and this is how we found him."

Buffy walked over to the side of the bed, inhaling deeply. "You couldn't wake him up?"

"No, we tried, but…" Willow shrugged her shoulders.

Giles moaned softly, prompting Buffy to reach out and touch his forehead. He shifted slightly, but remained lying on his stomach with the sheet resting at his waist.

"He's burning up." Her eyes stared at his back. "Something…bit him."

"We cleaned it out the best we could." Willow met Buffy's eyes. "It, uh…it looks like a demon attack. The bite radius is wrong for any animal or…human."

Buffy nodded as she lowered her eyes and stared at the star-shaped wound on his back. His fingers tightened on the pillow and he moaned again. But, he still slept.

"Research. We need to research." She looked up, the fear showing clearly in her eyes. "All we have to go on is the bite, so we'll start there."

Xander nodded silently and made his way down the stairs. Willow walked over to Buffy and placed her hand on her shoulder.

"We'll figure out what's wrong and how to fix it, okay?"

Buffy nodded and then glanced towards the bookshelf in the corner of the room. "I'm going to start going through the books up here."

Willow gently squeezed her shoulder. "We'll let you know when we find something."

At Buffy's slight nod, Willow walked down the stairs. Buffy took a deep breath and pulled a couple of books from the shelf. She sat down on the bed beside him and shook her head.

"I wish you'd wake up, Giles."

When he made no movement, she opened the first book and began to flip through it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Three hours later, she looked up when she heard two pairs of feet running up the stairs. Her eyes widened expectantly as they raced into the room, Xander holding a book tightly in his hands.

"I think we found it, Buffy."

Buffy jumped off the bed and quickly scanned the pages that Xander held open for her. Her eyes narrowed as she turned the page. "A Krishnik demon?"

Willow nodded excitedly. "Yeah. The bite mark is the same." She reached over Xander's arm and flipped back a couple of pages, pointing at a picture. "See?"

"So, this demon bites him and…what? Puts him to sleep?"

Xander took a deep breath. "Not exactly. It sends him into a fantasy world. But, not just any fantasy world. It brings life to the fantasies in his head…and that's where he stays."

Buffy stared at her friend. "What do you mean 'that's where he stays'?"

Xander glanced over at Giles and swallowed hard. "The only way to bring him back to reality is for the main aspect of the fantasy playing in his head to be re-enacted here…in reality."

"What?" Buffy whispered softly. "How are we supposed to do that? We don't know what's going on in his head. So…if we can't re-enact it, he just…his body stays here and his soul is out living a fantasy life?"

Willow shook her head slowly. "No. His soul is still here. Everything of him is here…body, mind, and soul. He's living his life in his head. And…his body will eventually die…"

Buffy clenched her fists and fought back her tears. "He's going to die?"

Xander looked away from Giles and stared at the floor. "If we can't figure out what's in his head, yeah."

Buffy stared at him for a moment and then began to pace, her anger growing quickly. "How the hell am I supposed to figure out what's in his head? It could be anything. He could be fantasizing about cataloguing books for all we know!"

Willow cleared her throat softly. "I can do it."

Buffy stopped pacing, swinging around to face Willow. "What?"

"I can do it. I can go into his mind, see what he's fantasizing about and then come back and tell you. I went into your mind when we had to bring you back…"

Buffy's thoughts raced in her head. Knowing there was no other way, she lifted her watery eyes to Willow's. "Do it. If this is the only way, then do it."

Willow gave her a quick nod and sat down on the bed facing Giles.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Willow squinted her eyes against the bright sun and looked around. She didn't recognize anything, but couldn't help but notice the beauty of the place. The sky was a clear blue, dotted with white, fluffy clouds. Rolling green hills surrounded her, and off to her left was a beautiful brick home complete with a long and winding driveway.

She made her way to the house, unable to stop the smile from appearing on her face as she heard the gleeful chirping of birds. She lifted her hand to knock on the door and then stopped herself, choosing to simply open the door. If he asked why she hadn't knocked, she would just tell him that it was habit.

The door swung open silently and she walked in. She heard soft music playing from an indeterminate source and then heard a soft giggle. She tilted her head, her eyes widening when she heard a familiar voice speak Giles' name in amusement. She followed the sound of soft laughter up the stairs, stopping in front of a door and listened carefully.

The laughter had stopped. However, a soft moan could be heard clearly from behind the door. She opened the door, her mouth dropping open at the sight before her.

Giles and Buffy. On the bed. Naked.

His face was buried in the crook of her neck. Her legs were wrapped around him. And her moans were growing in intensity as he rocked his hips against her slowly. Her nails scratched along his back as she met each of his thrusts with her own.

"Close, Giles…oh, God…don't stop…"

He lifted his head and smiled down at her before placing a soft kiss on her lips. "I love you, Buffy."

"You too…love you…"

He pushed himself up, supporting his weight with his hands on either side of her torso, and increased his pace. Sweat dripped from his chest onto hers.

"Come for me, Buffy." His voice was gravelly with lust. He bit his lip as she tightened her legs around him and bucked her hips towards him. "Christ! Just like that…keep going…come for me…"

Her nails dug into his shoulder blades as his name left her lips on a scream of ecstasy. He continued thrusting throughout her orgasm, calling out her name when he finally fell over the edge and emptied himself into her.

He collapsed by her side and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest as he gasped. "My God, Buffy."

"Mm-hm…"

"Each time we make love, I think it can't get any better." He dropped a kiss onto her sweat-drenched hair. "And then…it does…every time it's better…"

Willow listened for a few moments, smiling softly at the murmured words of love and affection before backing out of the room and quietly closing the door.

"You shouldn't be here."

Willow started and turned towards the voice that spoke softly and held no anger. "Giles…"

He smiled and nodded towards the door. "I apologize for you seeing…um…" He shrugged his shoulders. "I really wasn't expecting any visitors."

"You were attacked by a demon." She blurted.

"Mm. Yes, I do remember that. It caught me off-guard. Nasty creature. I'm not sure what it was, but…I'm rather sure it bit me. Decapitation worked wonders on him though. However, I…I don't remember much afterwards."

"It was a Krishnik demon."

He chuckled softly and gestured at their surroundings. "Well, that certainly explains all of this."

Hearing the soft moans begin again behind the door, Willow's eyes widened. "Your main fantasy is having sex with Buffy?"

"Pardon?"

"In the book…it said that the Krishnik transfers your mind into your main fantasy. Essentially allowing you to live a fantasy life."

"Oh." He glanced at the door when he heard his own voice call out Buffy's name. He motioned towards the stairs with a tilt of his head. "Since you're here, we should probably talk."

She followed him into the living room and sat down on the couch, her eyes wandering along the walls adorned with pictures. "So…sex with Buffy is your fantasy?"

He cleared his throat and shoved his hands into his pockets. "No. Well, yes. Sort of." When Willow stared at him in confusion, he continued. "Making love to Buffy is part of the fantasy, but…not the entirety."

At that moment, a young boy ran into the room and wrapped his arms around Giles' leg. "Daddy! Kevin's being mean to me!"

Giles smiled and knelt down in front of the boy. "What's he doing?"

"He keeps saying that…" The boy suddenly looked up and stared at Willow. "Who are you?"

Willow smiled. "My name is Willow."

The boy's eyes lit up. "Oh, you're Mummy's friend! My name is David. David Acton Giles."

Willow met Giles' eyes and smiled. Giles returned her smile before tapping his son's shoulder. "David, tell Kevin that if continues to antagonize you that he shall not be allowed to join us tomorrow."

David grinned at his father. "Really? I can tell him that?"

Giles chuckled. "Yes, you can tell him that. And, tell him that I'm very serious about it."

David giggled happily and ran out of the room, calling out a 'goodbye' to Willow on his way. Giles stood and smiled shyly at her.

"My fantasy seems to revolve around Buffy and I falling in love, getting married, and having children." He glanced around the room and sighed. "This is the life I dream about."

"How long have you been thinking about this?"

He lowered his eyes and exhaled slowly. "Far too long."

They both turned towards the door as it opened. Giles smiled as Buffy walked through the door, followed by another version of himself.

Willow's eyes darted between the Giles she had been talking to and the other one. Her Giles smiled and motioned for her to come closer to him. "They can't see or hear you, nor me."

She narrowed her eyes. "Why can you? And…David?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure. I know why you and I have the ability to communicate, but I'm rather perplexed about the fact that you were able to communicate with my son." He glanced towards the other Giles and Buffy and smiled. "This was our first date."

Willow watched as the end of the date played out in front of her.

"I…uh, I had a wonderful time, Buffy."

She smiled and held his gaze. "Me too. Would you like some tea?"

"I..I should probably go. But, I would very much like to take you out again."

She tilted her head. "Why should you go?"

He lifted his hand and touched her cheek. "Because I want nothing more than to stay."

She stepped closer to him, reaching up to run her finger along his jawline. "Then…stay."

"Buffy, I…"

She leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his lips before pulling back and looking into his eyes. "We both know what we want, Giles. You know that I'm in love with you. Why make ourselves wait any longer?"

He hesitated only a moment before covering her mouth with his and pulling her body tight against him.

Willow felt a gentle tug on her arm and turned to find Giles smiling at her. "Walk with me, Willow."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Buffy paced back and forth across the bedroom. "God, what's taking so long?"

Xander smiled sadly. "Big brain, lot of information to get through in there, I guess."

She stopped by the bedside and looked down at him. With a trembling hand, she reached out and brushed her fingers through his sweat-dampened hair. When he moaned softly, she knelt down beside of him.

"Come on, Giles. Please wake up."

He shifted in his sleep, his fingers gripping the sheets again briefly before relaxing once more. When he didn't open his eyes, Buffy didn't stop the tears from spilling onto her cheek.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Giles and Willow walked across the grass, silent until Giles turned towards her and spoke softly.

"What are you planning to do, Willow?"

"According to the information we found, this…spell or whatever it is…can be broken once the main aspect of the fantasy is carried out in reality." She glanced towards the house and continued. "If it doesn't happen, then you'll stay here. And…your body will die."

He took a deep breath and offered her a sad smile. "Then I suppose we should say our goodbyes now."

Her head snapped towards him. "What? You're just going to give up?"

He sat down on the grass and stared across the land. "She can never know."

She sat down beside of him and crossed her legs. "Giles, I know this is hard. But…we can't lose you. I can go back, explain things to her, and then she can…you know…and you can come back."

He turned his head slowly. "She can what?"

Willow blushed deeply. "You know…uh…have…um…"

"Sex with me?" He shook his head as she nodded. "You said that it needed to be the main aspect of the fantasy."

"Yeah. If it's…"

"Sex with Buffy isn't the main aspect of this fantasy, Willow." He glanced towards the house, smiling as he watched two boys throwing a baseball around while a very pregnant Buffy laughed. "Love. Love is the main aspect here. Here, in this place, Buffy loves me as I love her."

When he turned back to her, Willow saw the sadness in his eyes. "Giles…"

"She can never know. She can't bring me out of this place, Willow. What good would it do to tell her?" He reached down and plucked a four-leaf clover from the grass. "I…I'm happy here."

"You'll die here, Giles."

He gave her a small grin and placed the clover into her hand. "Please give this to her. Tell her that I'm okay. Tell her that she's not to blame for being unable to help. Tell her…" His grin faltered as his eyes began to glisten. "Tell her to be careful and that I'll miss her terribly."

"Giles…"

He stood up and shook his head. "You should go now, Willow." He turned his head, hearing the older boy call out to him. "I…I need to get back to my family."

Willow's tears began to fall as she watched Giles walk back towards the house. He turned and smiled brightly.

"Tell Xander that the Jaffa Cakes are hidden in the top cabinet…behind the mushy peas." He waited until she nodded and smiled back at him. "And Willow? Thank you."

He turned quickly and made his way up the hill, laughing happily as Buffy jumped into his arms and kissed him lovingly.

Willow wiped her eyes, whispered a soft 'you're welcome', and severed the connection.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hearing Willow gasp, Buffy jumped up and ran to her. "Will?"

Willow's eyes began to focus and she wiped the residual wetness from her cheeks. She opened her hand to find the four-leaf clover. She looked up at Buffy and held out the clover to her.

"He…he wanted you to have this."

"Willow?" Buffy's voice trembled. "How do I bring him back?"

Willow glanced over at Giles' sleeping form on the bed, not meeting Buffy's eyes as she continued. "He also wanted me to tell you that he's okay and that he wants you to be careful and he'll miss you terribly. And…not to blame yourself."

"Willow?" The tears were falling freely down Buffy's face.

Xander leaned forward and wiped his eyes. "Will, we have to help him."

"He, uh…he said that the Jaffa Cakes are in the top cabinet behind the mushy peas."

Xander stood, his eyes suddenly dark with fury. "I don't give a damn about Jaffa Cakes! I give a damn about getting Giles back!"

"He's happy where he is."

A sob caught in Buffy's throat. "I'm not."

Willow quickly turned to her friend. "Buffy, I need to ask you something and you need to be completely honest with me. It's important, okay?" When Buffy nodded, she took a deep breath. "What do you feel for Giles?"

"What?"

Willow closed her eyes briefly, muttering to herself. "He is so going to kill me for this."

"He's going to kill you for what?"

Willow's eyes opened to find Buffy staring at her anxiously. She glanced at Xander and then looked back at Buffy. "We need to talk. Now."

"I can bring him back, can't I?" When Willow didn't answer immediately, Buffy looked over at Giles. "Please, Willow…how can I help him? Tell me how to bring him back."

"Do you love him?"

Buffy jerked back around to face Willow. "Yes."

Willow took a deep breath. "Are you in love with him, Buffy?"

Xander narrowed his eyes. "Where are you going with this, Will?"

She held up a hand, requesting him to be quiet, as she looked into Buffy's eyes. "Are you?"

Buffy nodded slowly. "I am…have been for so long now."

Willow glanced down at the clover that Buffy was holding gingerly in her hand. "If you're telling me the truth, and I really believe you are…you can help him."

Buffy's eyes widened. "How?"

"Go to him. Tell him what's in your heart."

Willow stood and grabbed Xander's arm, pulling him towards the stairs. Buffy's voice stopped them before they could go downstairs.

"What was his fantasy?"

Willow turned around and exhaled deeply. "A life with you. A happy life…dates, marriage, kids…love. His fantasy was for you to love him as he loves you." She offered her friend a warm smile. "Bring our book guy home, Buffy."

As Willow dragged Xander down the stairs, he looked at her in surprise. "Was there sex involved?"

Willow rolled her eyes and gently nudged him down the stairs.

* * *

Buffy swallowed the lump in her throat as she turned back towards the bed. She knelt down beside the bed and watched him for a moment. She smiled softly, recognizing for the first time that he actually did look happy as he slept.

"Giles? I don't know if you can hear me, but…there's something I need to say to you." She reached up and lightly brushed her fingers through his hair. "Willow says that you're happy where you are. But, see…there's a problem with that. I'm not happy without you here."

His brow furrowed slightly and she ran her finger across the crease it made.

"Do you honestly think that I couldn't love you? You'd be willing to let yourself die so that you could stay in a fantasy world where we're together? Damn it, Giles…is it so unbelievable to you that I'd feel the same as you that you'd…" She sniffled and wiped the back of her hand across her eyes.

"I love you Giles. I really do love you. And…not in the 'you're my Watcher and I love you for being there for me every time I screw up' kind of way. I love you in the 'I don't think I'd survive without you because you're everything I think about' kind of way. I'm in love with you, Giles. I have been for so long and I just didn't know how to tell you. Please come back to me. Let me show you how much in love with you I am. Please…"

She leaned forward and brushed her lips across his. He moaned softly and as his lips parted, she deepened the kiss. Feeling his lips begin to respond to hers, she reached down and entwined her fingers with his. She gently pulled back from the kiss and looked down at his face.

Her voice was a mere whisper when she spoke. "Please come back to me."

Her eyes darted to their enjoined hands when she felt his fingers lightly squeeze hers. "Giles?"

His eyelids fluttered and he inhaled deeply. "Buffy…"

New tears streamed down her face as she let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh, God…Giles…"

She peppered kisses across his cheeks before pulling back and looking into his eyes. "I thought I'd lost you for good that time."

He grimaced as he tried to roll onto his back. "Ow…"

"Oh, yeah…big bite mark back there. Let me help you, okay?"

When she had gotten him settled onto his back, he glanced down and noticed that his chest was bare. As he shifted his lower body, he realized that it wasn't only his chest that was bare. He looked up at Buffy as his hand held the sheet in place.

"Buffy…what did you do?"

"Huh?" She furrowed her brow in confusion.

He gestured towards the sheet and blushed lightly. "I, uh…I seem to be rather…unclothed."

"You're na…" She shook her head as she finally understood his question. "No, Giles…I didn't do…that. I only told you some stuff and then I…um, I didn't want to have sex with you…"

"No, no…it's alright…"

"While you were asleep."

His eyes widened as her words filtered into his brain. "I'm sorry?"

She smiled and climbed onto the bed beside him. "Well, that would've been a violation of some kind, I think. Besides…it'd probably be more fun if you were more involved."

"You, uh…what?"

She laughed and laid her hand on his chest. "Do you have any idea how completely adorable you can be at times?"

"Well…no, actually. 'Adorable' isn't a word I've heard used to describe me…"

"Now you have." She tilted her head slightly. "Do you remember…um…did you hear what I said to you? You know…before you woke up?"

"I, uh…yes, I believe so."

Her eyes shifted until they were staring at her hand. "So, uh…you know that I love you? That…I'm in love with you?"

"Yes." He whispered gently.

She closed her eyes for a split second and inhaled slowly. "And…you know that I, uh…I kissed you?"

"Yes. I…have a very vivid memory of that occurrence."

She licked her lips and glanced at his face. "And…do you know that I want to…again? Um, kiss you again?"

"I was hopeful." He held her gaze and lifted his hand to the side of her face. "I rather wish you would. Kiss me again, that is."

"Really?"

"Undoubtedly."

"Will you be one hundred percent proactive boy this time?"

He grinned up at her, sliding his hand behind her neck. "I'm hardly a boy, Buffy. However, I do promise to be one hundred percent proactive."

He gently pulled her down, pressing his lips against hers as if tasting her for the first time. When he felt her lips part slightly, he nudged his tongue into her mouth. She groaned into his mouth, sliding her tongue along his before sucking it hungrily.

His left hand tangled in her hair, his right pressed flat against her back as he pulled her body flush with his. She smiled at his soft whimper of protest as she slowly ended the kiss and lifted her body from his.

"Mm…you really were proactive b…um…man."

He chuckled softly and traced her lips with his thumb. "I…don't want to stop…"

"Me neither. But…there are two people downstairs who are really worried about you."

He glanced towards the staircase and nodded. "Yes, I suppose I should…"

"We should."

He smiled and then glanced down at the sheet covering his body. "Um, would you, perhaps uh…well…would you care to find me some clothes?"

She grinned and gave him a soft kiss. "T-shirt and sweats okay with you?"

"That should be sufficient."

She laughed and slid out of the bed. He smiled in contentment as he watched her search through his closet for a suitable change of clothes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Xander and Willow looked up when they heard footsteps on the stairs. They jumped up from the couch and ran to the bottom of the staircase. Buffy lightly held Giles' hand as they stepped into the living room.

"Giles!" Willow screamed and instantly wrapped her arms around him. When she heard his light grunt, she pulled back and smiled sheepishly at him. "Sorry, I just…I'm really happy to see you awake!"

Giles chuckled as Xander made his way to him. Xander looked unsure for a moment, until Giles gently touched his shoulder.

"Hello, Xander."

Tears formed in Xander's eyes. "You really scared me that time, G-Man. This was way worse than Emily Post bashing you in the head."

Giles smiled warmly at the young man. "What have I told you about calling me that horrid name?"

Xander grinned at him and wiped his eyes. "Well, you don't go off into fantasy land again and I won't call you G-Man again. Deal?"

Giles laughed as he nodded. "I think I can agree to those terms." He turned his eyes towards Willow and sighed softly. "And…I think you and I should talk."

Willow blushed and averted her eyes from him. "Okay."

Buffy squeezed Giles' hand. "You two go talk. I'm gonna read up on this Krishnik demon thing…you know, make sure there's no long-term side effects or anything. Last thing I want is to have you wake up in fantasy land again."

Giles smirked. "You're going to research?"

Buffy laughed lightly. "Yeah, don't get used to it. I might even have tea ready for you when you come back in."

Giles raised an eyebrow, a smile forming on his face. "Research and tea?"

"Yeah, and maybe…" She glanced at their friends and cleared her throat. "Yeah…go talk with Will."

Giles laughed and tilted his head towards the back door as he met Willow's eyes. Willow took a deep breath and followed him out onto the back patio.

She sat down on one of the cast-iron chairs and wrung her hands nervously. Giles sat across the table from her and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

"Willow…"

"I know you didn't want me to tell her, Giles. But you didn't see her face when I gave her your message. It wasn't a look of 'my friend is dying and there's nothing I can do'. It was a look of complete devastation. She looked like her entire world was being ripped out from under her. I didn't know what else to do. I mean – "

His soft voice interrupted her rambling explanation. "It's okay, Willow."

"I told her you were going to kill me."

He chuckled softly and shook his head. "I've no intention of killing you. Or even yelling at you, for that matter. I would, however, like to know what you did tell her."

"Oh." Willow sighed heavily and twisted a ring on her finger. "Well, I told her what you said. And…I gave her the clover. And then I saw the look on her face. So…I asked her what she felt for you."

Giles smiled and shook his head. "That's not exactly what I meant." He looked down and picked a leaf from the table. "Did you tell her what you saw?"

"Oh! Oh, no." Her blush deepened when he looked back up at her. "No…"

"But, she knows. That part of the fantasy involved her and I…um…"

"Yeah, I guess. I mean…I said that there were dates and marriage and kids. She knows how babies are made." She visibly relaxed when he laughed. "I didn't go into detail about it. I thought that should be between the two of you."

"Thank you."

They were quiet for a few moments before Willow spoke again.

"I do have a question though." When he met her eyes, she smiled and continued. "David…he was like a little you. English accent and everything."

Giles grinned. "Yes. Kevin was just like his mother. Pure Californian. I wish you'd had the chance to meet him as well. When David was born, I instilled as much English behaviour into him as I possibly could. They were good boys…I, uh…I'm finding that I miss them very much."

"Are you okay with being back here?"

"I am. My life with Buffy will never be the utopia it was in my fantasy. But…she does love me. And that is something that I'm quite eager to explore."

"Hey, Giles?"

Giles turned towards the soft voice in the doorway and smiled. "Yes, Buffy?"

"I found something you might want to have a look at."

He pushed his chair back and stood, wincing lightly as he stretched his back. "You researched and found something?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Funny. And...don't think I missed the grimace. Are you alright?"

"Yes, it just feels a bit...tight. As if the skin is pulling as it heals."

"Yeah...that's why you need to come in and have a look at this."

Giles smiled as Buffy walked back into the house. He turned towards Willow and gestured towards the door. "Coming?"

Willow stood and nodded. "Yeah, uh...are we okay?"

His smile grew and he placed his hand on her shoulder. "We were never not okay, Willow."

She grinned up at him and exhaled deeply. "Good, 'cause...I don't like the thought of us not being okay. So...let's go see what your...Buffy...found."

Giles chuckled and ushered her through the door, following her in and closing the door behind them. His eyes landed on Xander, happily munching on a Jaffa Cake. He raised an eyebrow when Xander looked up at him.

"Top cabinet, behind the mushy peas." He gestured towards Willow. "You told her to tell me where they were."

Giles shook his head in amusement and walked over to the table where Buffy was seated with a book lying open in front of her. He placed one hand on the back of her chair and the other on the table, leaning over to read the page.

Buffy looked up at him, a worried expression on her face. "Does this mean what I think it means?"

"Hm. Yes, I believe so." He looked over at Willow as his hand moved from the chair, his fingers lightly caressing the back of Buffy's neck. "Would you be able to go to the Magic Box and pick up a few items?"

Willow grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. "Sure, what do you need?"

Giles moved over to the bookshelf and pulled another volume down, quickly flipping through the pages. He scanned the page and ran his hand through his hair.

"Dried gallea, golden thyme, crushed juniper, and...I have alcohol." He looked up to find Willow staring at him through wide eyes. "I think that should do it."

"What's going on?"

"We need to make a greshberg."

Xander swallowed his mouthful of sweets and glanced up. "Well, that doesn't sound very tasty."

Giles gave him a half-smile. "Considering that this mixture isn't meant to be edible, I would say it wouldn't be 'tasty'."

Xander narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, dropping the half-empty box of Jaffa Cakes onto the coffee table. "Okay, I'm with Will on the whole 'what's going on?' thing."

Giles looked down at Buffy and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You found it."

Buffy sighed heavily and turned towards their friends. "Okay, so apparently this Krishnik demon leaves some of the, uh..." She glanced back down at the book. "...clarys in the wound. The wound heals over quickly, trapping the clarys in the open cavity left by the bite."

She cleared her throat and looked back up. "The clarys is the stuff that put him into fantasy land. If it isn't removed, there's a good chance he could end up back there. And if he goes back, it's gonna be a lot harder to bring him out of it."

Xander nodded slowly. "Which would be bad, no doubt."

Giles smiled softly. "Yes, it rather would. We'll grind the herbs coarsely and mix it with alcohol until it becomes a paste. And then...the wound needs to be packed with the mixture. With the help of a minor spell, the paste will draw out the remaining clarys and then the wound can heal normally."

Xander paled. "Why do I get the feeling that this isn't going to be a fun-filled time had by all?"

Willow sighed and folded the piece of paper, placing it in her pocket as she grabbed her bag. "Because it's going to be pretty painful for him."

Giles nodded slowly, pulling Buffy out of her chair and leading her to the couch. "Yes, however it is necessary." He sat down and tugged on Buffy's hand until she sat down beside of him as he looked into Willow's eyes. "I'll get the spell ready while you're gone. All you'll need to do is chant the few lines as you're applying the mixture."

Willow gave him a nod of understanding and ran to the door. As the door closed behind her, Buffy looked up at Giles.

"Why can't things be easy for us?"

Xander shrugged his shoulders. "Watcher/Slayer stuff is never easy." He held out the packet of Jaffa Cakes and smiled thinly. "Jaffa Cake?"

Giles shook his head lightly and wrapped his arm around Buffy, holding her tightly against him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Buffy's eyes widened as Giles poured the alcohol into the ground mixture. "That's...that's going to burn like hell."

"Yes, it will." Giles mixed the ingredients carefully until the consistency was right. He handed the bowl to Willow and sat down, pulling his t-shirt over his head and handing it to Buffy before turning his back to Willow and leaning over the arm of the couch.

Willow bit her lip as she studied the wound. "Um, Giles...it's already started to scab."

Giles took a deep breath. "I was afraid of that. It explains the tightness I was experiencing earlier." He glanced over his shoulder and met Willow's eyes. "You'll have to pull the scabs off...and then pack the wound with the paste."

"Oh, Jesus..." Xander wrapped his arms around his stomach. "I think I'm gonna be sick..."

Giles calmly turned his head and looked at the young man. "If you prefer, you can wait outside."

Xander turned a light shade of green, nodded and quickly made his way out the back door. Giles looked into Buffy's eyes and opened his mouth. She stopped him before he could utter a single syllable.

"I'm not going anywhere."

He gave her an appreciative nod as she knelt beside of him. She took hold of his hand and squeezed it gently. When he returned the light squeeze, she looked at Willow.

"Okay, the quicker we get started, the quicker it's over and done with."

Willow exhaled slowly and placed her hands on his back. She gently pulled at the skin, testing to see if the scabs would break on their own. When they didn't, she hesitated for a second.

Giles took a deep breath. "Just pull them off as quickly as you can, Willow. As if you're removing a band-aid."

Willow shuddered and bit her lip. "This is so not fun." She was able to lift the edge of the first scab up with her fingernail enough to grasp it firmly. "Okay, are you ready?"

Giles closed his eyes and gave her a quick nod.

His hand tightened around Buffy's, a groan of pain escaping his lips, as Willow ripped the scab from his back. He leaned forward over the arm of the couch and inhaled sharply.

"Bloody...hell!"

"I'm sorry, Giles!"

Hearing Willow's panicked voice, he shook his head. "No...it has to be done. Go..."

By the time Willow had peeled the fifth and final scab from his back, blood was pouring freely from the wound and his upper body was covered in a layer of perspiration. Buffy combed her fingers through his damp hair and placed a soft kiss on his forehead as Willow pressed a towel to his back in an effort to stem the blood flow.

"Giles? Are you okay?" Buffy whispered softly as she kissed his cheek.

"Oh, yes." He lifted his head and gave her a weak smile. "Never better."

Buffy offered him a smile and shook her head. "Liar."

"Are you done yet?" Xander asked as he poked his head into the living room. Seeing the blood soaked towel pressed against Giles' back, he groaned. "Oh, good God."

Willow stared at him. "I'll come get you when we're done, okay? This is the important part."

Xander nodded numbly and stumbled back out the door. Willow sighed heavily and lifted the bowl to her lap. She glanced down at the piece of paper on which Giles had written the words to the spell and removed the towel from his back.

"Okay...when you're ready."

Buffy held a hand up in a silent request for Willow to wait, but didn't take her eyes off of Giles. "Hey, Giles?"

"Yes?"

"Look at me for a minute."

He opened his eyes and inhaled slowly. "Buffy..."

She caressed his cheek and shook her head. "It didn't say...in the book...it didn't say it was definite. It said there was a chance it could happen. If you want..."

He shook his head quickly. "No. I can't take that risk, Buffy. It's a few minutes of pain to guarantee that the clarys is removed. I can't not finish this."

She was quiet for a moment and then nodded. "I love you."

His eyes brightened and a smile tugged at his lips. "I love you too."

She leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on his lips as she entwined her fingers with his. She looked into his eyes, but spoke softly to her best friend.

"Okay, Will."

As Willow began chanting the words of the spell, Giles closed his eyes. Buffy whispered tender words of encouragement into his ear as Willow dipped her hand into the gluggy paste. His fingers dug into Buffy's hand as Willow smeared the paste into the wound.

He inhaled sharply, but did not utter a single word or even a groan. Buffy felt his body tremble as Willow continued the spell. Only when she had finished chanting did he cry out in pain.

"You're doing well, Giles." Buffy whispered.

"Fucking...hell..." He ground out between gasps.

Willow continued to fill in the wound with the mixture as quickly as she could. With one final sweep of her hand, she pulled back and looked towards Buffy.

"Okay, that's it."

Buffy nodded and kissed Giles' temple as his body continued to shake. "All done, honey."

He lifted his head weakly and released her hand. "That...was the worst...of it. It's, uh...the pain...it's ebbing."

Buffy grabbed a clean towel and gently wiped the sweat from his face. "Good. Should you lie down? Or...are you alright to sit up?"

"I, uh...I think I'll just stay here. Once it sets...it'll need to be removed. And...the wound will need to be cleaned and re-dressed." He smiled weakly. "I...wouldn't mind some water, though."

"I'll get it." Buffy jumped up and ran into the kitchen.

Willow pushed herself from the couch and placed the bowl on the table as she stood up. "I'll just...go get Xander."

As she walked by him, Giles reached out and grabbed her hand. "Willow?"

She knelt in front of him as he squeezed her hand lightly. He smiled up at her and took a deep breath.

"Thank you."

She chuckled softly and shook her head. "I don't think anyone has ever thanked me for causing them intense pain before."

"It isn't the pain I'm thanking you for."

"I know. I was just being funny...in the not so funny way." She looked up as Buffy ran back into the room carrying a glass of ice water. "You're welcome. I'm gonna go find Xand now."

He let her hand go and turned his eyes towards a smiling Buffy. She held the glass for him as he took a few deep swallows of the cold liquid.

"You okay?"

"Yes. I...I think I can sit up now."

She checked the packing and raised an eyebrow. "Huh, that didn't take long."

"No, it's much like instant cement."

"Nice analogy, Giles." She reached down and helped him sit up. "So, how long does it need to be in there? And...how do we get it out?"

"It can come out when it changes color." He lifted the glass and took a deep drink. "And, it should just...well...pop out."

Buffy stared at him before reaching out and placing her hand on the side of his neck. "Are you really okay?"

He smiled warmly and placed his glass on the lamp table. "Yes, I am. The pain, though intense, was short-lived. I honestly can't feel it at all now."

Buffy was getting ready to reply when Willow walked back into the living room with Xander. Xander smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I guess watching things like that is different when it's someone you care about."

Giles leaned forward and reached for his t-shirt as he grinned. "I do understand, Xander. I promise not to hold it against you."

"Thanks." Xander's eyes fell to the Watcher's back. "I thought that stuff was green?"

Buffy lightly ran a finger along the now hardened and dark blue packing. "So...what color is it supposed to be when it's ready to...uh...pop?"

"Blue or brown. It depends on the toxins it's extracting."

Buffy smiled brightly. "We have blue. So...how do we go about popping the sucker out?"

Xander stared incredulously at his friend. "What do you mean 'popping the sucker out'?"

Buffy gestured towards Giles with a tilt of her head. "He said that once it changes color, it should just pop out..."

"Oh, well that sounds...eww!" Xander shuddered visibly.

Giles chuckled. "Just give it a light tap. That should work...theoretically."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Theoretically. Gotta love the definiteness that is you."

He turned his head slowly and raised an eyebrow. " 'The definiteness that is you'?"

She grinned and reached over, giving a light tap to the centre of the star-shaped wound. When it popped out easily and fell into her hand, her eyes widened.

"Cool!"

Xander leaned over and looked at the object in her hand. "It's...a blue starfish!"

He looked up to see three pairs of eyes staring at him. He shrugged his shoulders and grinned. "Well, that's what it looks like to me."

Buffy shook her head as she laughed. "Yeah, okay. You wanna go get the first-aid kit, starfish boy?"

She leaned over and placed a soft kiss on the back of Giles' shoulder.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Two hours later, Xander and Willow said their goodbyes and promised to come back the following day. Giles smiled appreciatively at the two as Buffy cleared the table of various Chinese take-away boxes.

He sighed heavily as the door closed, leaving him alone with Buffy.

"Everything okay?"

He met her eyes and smiled warmly. "Yes."

She studied him carefully and shook her head. "You're tired."

"I, uh…" He ran his hand through his hair and stifled a yawn. "It's been somewhat of an exhausting day."

She nodded in agreement and glanced towards the stairs. "Come on. Let's get you into bed, all nice and comfy-like."

"Buffy, you don't…"

"Don't argue with me, Giles." She walked over and grabbed his hand, gently leading him up the stairs. "You need sleep. Real sleep."

He sighed again, but allowed himself to be led to the bedroom. She smiled and ushered him to the bed, pulling the sheet and blanket over him as he lay down.

"I'll just go change and then I'll be in."

His eyes widened. "You're staying?"

"Oh." She blushed heavily and averted her eyes from him. "I don't have to, I just thought…well, I thought you might…"

He took her hand quickly, rubbing his thumb across the back of it. "I want you to stay, Buffy." He smiled shyly when she looked back at him. "I just wasn't sure if you…if you wanted to."

"I do." She whispered quietly. "I really, really do."

His own voice was a whisper when he replied. "Then, please stay with me."

She nodded and bent down, kissing his lips tenderly. "I'll be right back, okay?"

He didn't try to hide his yawn, but smiled brightly at her as she made her way into the bathroom.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, she stood at the foot of the bed grinning at her sleeping Watcher. She carefully climbed into bed beside of him, snuggling up next to him and placing her head on his shoulder.

When his arm automatically wrapped around her and held her tightly against him, she draped her arm over his torso. She contented herself to watching him sleep for a while. Beginning to feel drowsy herself, she leaned into him and softly kissed his cheek.

"God, I love you, Giles."

Hearing a mumbled 'love you, Buffy', she chuckled and settled back down in his embrace. She fell into slumber quickly, feeling a sense of peace she had never quite experienced before.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He woke up to the sensation of fingers lightly stroking his chest. "Buffy?"

"Yeah?" She lifted her head and looked at him. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."

He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. "It's alright."

"How's your back feeling?"

"Mm?"

"Your back…with the huge demon bite mark?"

"Oh, it's fine. And…it's not that huge."

She rolled her eyes. "I have a big piece of blue cement that says something else."

He smiled and shifted his body slightly. "It'll be fine, Buffy. Demon bites tend to heal rather quickly, though it probably will leave a scar. We'll keep it cleaned and dressed for a few days, just as a precaution against infection. But, in all honesty, there is no pain associated with it now."

She returned his smile and laid her head against his chest. He watched her for a moment, before lifting his head and lightly touching her temple. "What's on your mind, Buffy?"

"Nothing." She met his eyes and sighed heavily. "I guess I'm just…worried."

His brow furrowed in concern. "Talk to me."

She splayed her hand on his chest, tapped her fingers a few times and then pushed herself up. She brushed the hair out of her face and looked down at him.

"I…want to make love with you."

He raised an eyebrow as he pushed himself up and leaned back against the headboard of the bed. "And this has you worried?"

She shrugged a shoulder and moved her gaze from his eyes. "What if I'm not as good as your fantasies?"

He reached over and covered her hand with his. "Buffy…" He paused for a minute, searching for the right words. "Buffy, did you ever fantasize about me?"

He smiled as she nodded silently.

"And…were they sexual fantasies?"

Her free hand picked at the sheet. "Some of them. Well…a lot of them."

He reached over and placed his fingers under her chin, tilting her head until he could look into her eyes. "And who's to say that I'll live up to them? This isn't about whether or not the fantasy is better than reality."

"I just…don't want to disappoint you."

He shook his head slowly. "I'm rather sure that would be an impossibility."

"I don't know what you like." Her voice was a mere whisper.

He smiled, his hand cupping her cheek. "Nor do I know what you like. This is where we teach one another. Tell me…show me…how you enjoy being touched…or tasted. Teach me where your most sensitive areas are. And, I'll do the same for you. No one falls into bed for the first time knowing exactly what their partner likes."

His hand moved to her neck and he licked his lips. "For instance…I would love to taste you right now. But…I'm not sure you'd like that." He felt her tremble under his touch as he leaned forward, placing his mouth next to her ear. "Would you like me to taste you?"

When she nodded slowly, he smiled and gently eased her back onto the mattress. His fingers carefully unbuttoned her pajama top as he stared into her eyes.

"I prefer to take my time. I don't want to just dive in and take." He pushed her top open, exposing her bare breasts to him. "Is that alright with you?"

"Yes."

His eyes raked over her nearly nude torso. "My God, you're lovely."

"Giles…please…touch me."

He smiled as he leaned over her, his hand grazing along her abdomen. His lips found hers, kissing her softly as his fingertips explored her skin. When his fingers slid along her ribcage, she gasped into his mouth. He paused and then repeated the action, smiling when he received the same response.

Her back arched when his fingertips caressed the swell of her breast. He moved his mouth to her neck, nipping lightly when she groaned. His hand made its way to her hip as he shifted his body until his mouth was hovering over her breast, waiting until he heard her mutter his name before smiling and lowering his mouth.

His tongue circled the areola slowly before gently flicking her hardened nipple. When she cried out in pleasure, he flicked it again.

"Don't tease…"

He lifted his head and smiled. "Tell me what you want."

She met his eyes, wrapping her hand around the back of his head. "Suck it…"

He groaned softly, quickly covering her nipple with his mouth. He suckled lightly, holding it between his teeth as his tongue bathed the flesh. Her nails raked across his shoulders before digging into his flesh.

"Giles…"

He suddenly released her breast, looking up at her as she cried out in disappointment. He chuckled softly, running his tongue along her sternum.

"I'm not finished."

She lifted her head and stared at him. "Damn right, you're not."

He moved further down her body, placing soft kisses to her skin. He paused at her navel, nipping it lightly before dipping the tip of his tongue inside the small indentation. When she began to squirm beneath his touches, he tightened his grip on her hip.

"Am I going too slow for your liking?"

"No…yes…oh, God, I don't know…"

He laughed softly and hooked his fingers under the waistband of her pajama bottoms. He pulled them down slowly, following the fabric with his mouth. He lightly nipped at her thigh, and then pulled back long enough to remove her clothing. He tossed the garments to the floor and gazed at her body.

"Absolutely…stunning."

He knelt between her parted thighs, smiling as she sat up and shrugged the open pajama top off of her shoulders. His hands gently rubbed her thighs, nudging them further apart. When she lay back down, he stared into her eyes.

"If I do anything that makes you uncomfortable, or…doesn't feel right…please tell me. If you want me to do something differently…" He licked his lips and slid his hands up her thighs until his thumbs brushed through her soft curls. "I want nothing more than to please you, Buffy."

He heard her soft gasp as he lowered his body to the mattress and slid his arms underneath her legs. He inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent as he dipped his head and placed a tender kiss on her inner thigh.

"Giles…"

"Mm?"

He turned his head slightly, tracing her lower lips with his tongue.

"I…um…"

He smiled, using his thumbs to part her lips and blowing a puff of hot air across her clitoris. "You…what, Buffy?"

"Um…I…" She groaned as he flicked his tongue against her clit before gently drawing it into his mouth. "Oh, my God…"

He suckled lightly on the hardened flesh for only a moment before releasing it. He raised his eyes to find her gripping the sheets tightly.

"Buffy?"

"Huh?"

"Relax…I'm not going to hurt you."

She chuckled softly, releasing the sheets and looking down at him. "I know…but…I'm so close."

He raised an eyebrow. "I've barely touched you."

"Uh-huh, I know." She shifted her lower body, pressing closer to his mouth. "It feels so…I, uh…can't even describe…"

He licked his lips and pressed a tender kiss to her clitoris. "Do you want me to make you come?"

She nodded and reached down to run her fingers through his hair. "Please…"

He reached beneath her, angling her hips as he dragged his tongue through her folds. He felt her muscles tremble and he looked up, instantly catching her gaze. Without further hesitation, he shifted his mouth and thrust his tongue into her.

Her hips bucked suddenly, his name leaving her lips on a loud moan. He stroked her inner walls, his tongue collecting the moisture that was rapidly appearing. A groan rumbled in his chest as she lifted her legs over his shoulders.

He continued his thrusts, encouraged by her cries and her nails raking across his scalp. Feeling her muscles begin to clench around his tongue, he withdrew and closed his mouth over her clit. He quickly pushed two fingers inside, curling them slightly to brush across the sensitive spot he had found earlier with his tongue.

Within a few seconds, she was screaming his name as her juices flooded his hand. He brought her down gently, easing his soaked fingers out of her. He placed a tender kiss on her quivering clitoris and pushed himself up to lean over her.

"Buffy?"

Her hand shot out, grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him down to her. She kissed him hungrily, her chest rumbling with a groan when she tasted herself on his lips. She lifted her legs, wrapping them around his waist as she pressed her hips up against him.

She tore her mouth away from his, but cradled his face in her hands as she stared into his darkened eyes. He easily read the desire in her eyes and reached down with one hand to push his sweatpants down.

"Christ, I want you."

Her hands roamed over his chest, stopping to lightly pinch his nipple. "Then take me."

He moved until he was kneeling between her thighs, smiling as he reached behind him and unclasped her ankles from his lower back. When she opened her mouth to protest, he gently shook his head.

"I'm not going anywhere, Buffy. I just need to get rid of…" He gasped as her hand closed around his erection. "Dear Lord…"

She stroked him slowly, rubbing her thumb across the glans. Looking into his eyes, she licked her lips. "Show me how you like to be touched."

"You're, uh…doing just fine…"

She shook her head slowly. "I don't want to do just fine, Giles. I want to know how you like it."

He took a deep breath and covered her hand with his. He increased the pressure in certain areas and moved her thumb so that it travelled along the underside of his erection. He followed her movements for a few strokes before removing his hand and allowing her to continue.

He thrust against her hand as she rubbed her thumb along the sensitive flesh. "Yes…just like that…"

On the next stroke, she collected the fluid gathering at the tip onto her finger. Looking into his eyes, she raised her hand from his cock to her lips. He growled lustfully as she slowly licked the fluid from her finger.

He quickly kicked his pants off of his legs and covered her body with his. Reaching between them with one hand, he grasped his erection and positioned himself at her entrance. At that moment, he paused and met her eyes.

"I…normally spend a little more time before I, uh…"

She smiled in understanding and placed her hand on the side of his neck. "We can spend a little more time later…right now, I need you to make love to me."

He pushed his hips forward slowly as he leaned down to kiss her. "I love you so very much, Buffy."

Her fingers tangled in the damp hair covering the back of his head. She groaned into his mouth as he entered her fully. He held his hips still for a moment, dropping his head to her shoulder.

"Oh, God…"

He lifted his head, chuckling when he realized that they had both uttered the same words simultaneously. She narrowed her eyes as his chuckle grew deeper.

"What's so funny?"

"It's nothing 'funny', per se…"

"But…you're laughing."

He nodded, supporting his weight with his left hand braced on the mattress as he used his right to brush the hair back from her eyes. "You don't laugh during sex?"

"Well…" She shook her head slowly.

He sighed softly and grinned at her. "Sex doesn't have to be serious all of the time, Buffy. I prefer to have fun while I'm making love…and fun usually involves laughter at some point. None of your previous partners, uh…well…"

She smirked and held up her hand, ticking her partners off on her fingers. "Angel…not much into the laughing thing at any time. Parker…too focused on his own orgasm to worry about anything else. Riley…military man with a mental checklist. Laughing would've disrupted his routine."

His brow furrowed. "Making love should never involve a routine, in my opinion. I like to laugh, I like to talk, and I like experimenting while I'm making love. For me, it makes the entire experience so much more exhilarating."

"Um…experimenting?"

He smiled brightly and rocked his hips gently against her. "Different positions, nothing too perverse, I assure you."

She gasped and moved her hands to his shoulders. "Oh. So, uh…mm, that's so…um…talking?"

He moved his mouth to her ear, nibbling lightly at the lobe before whispering to her. "I do enjoy talking. For instance, telling you how wonderful it feels being inside of you." He slid the tip of his tongue along her neck.

"Giles…"

He lengthened his strokes, keeping his pace slow. "Do you know how hard it's been for me not to push you against the nearest stationary object and touch you until you come?"

"No…" She pushed her hips towards his, matching his thrusts.

"I've wanted you…for so long. I would watch you train and…oh…you'd make me so hard." He bent down and dragged his tongue over her nipple. "So many times I made myself come thinking of you. You underneath me, your mouth on my hard cock, you on top of me…"

"Giles…you…"

He smiled as he felt her walls begin to contract around him. "You're close…"

"Uh…huh…"

He lowered his lips to her ear, his voice husky when he whispered. "Come for me, Buffy. Let go…"

"With…me?"

His lips nipped at her earlobe as he increased his thrusts. "You want me to come with you?"

"Yes…"

He grunted softly as her nails dug into his shoulders. "Do you…want me to come inside of you?"

"Yes…oh, God…yes. I want to feel…you…oh, Giles…please…"

He moved his right hand to her hip, his fingers gripping her tightly as he thrust harder into her. His mouth made its way to her collarbone, his tongue licking the salty flesh as he felt the beginnings of her orgasm surrounding him.

He groaned loudly as the spasms quickly pushed him towards the edge. "So…close…"

Her hands slipped across his sweat-drenched back. "Giles! Oh, fuck…fuck me!"

A growl rumbled in his chest as his pace became frenzied. He pounded his hips against hers, continuing his hard and quick strokes as she screamed his name. When he felt her orgasm crash over her and her fluids flood over his cock, he groaned her name loudly and was able to complete one last thrust before emptying himself into her.

He shifted his body as his arms gave out, collapsing beside of her. His chest heaved as he fought to control his breathing. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her tightly against him, peppering her face with tender kisses.

She reached up and ran her fingers through his sweat-dampened hair and sighed deeply. He pulled back slightly and smiled almost shyly.

"Was that a happy sigh?"

She nodded quickly. "Mm-hm…some people would even call it blissful."

He grinned and pushed her damp hair back from her face. He took a deep breath, allowing his hand to caress her cheek.

"So beautiful."

"Huh?"

He smiled softly. "You. You're so beautiful. Everything about you is…" He shook his head and chuckled. "More than I ever could have imagined."

She blushed deeply. "Same goes for you. No one has ever made me…um…scream before."

"Oh?" When she shook her head, he leaned into her and gently kissed her lips. "Their loss. Because hearing you scream in pleasure is…well, I'm not actually sure there's a word to describe it."

She laughed and rolled onto her back. "Word guy can't come up with a word? This is never good."

He propped his head up with his hand and smiled in amusement. "Depends on your view, I suppose. And, right now…I wouldn't change this view for anything."

She gasped softly. "See? Words…you're so good with them."

His eyes twinkled in the dim light as he watched her eyes narrow only slightly. "What's on your mind, Buffy?"

"Huh? Oh…uh, just a thought, really."

"Mm-hm?" He placed his hand on her abdomen and rubbed her still-flushed skin lightly. "What kind of thought would that be?"

"Oh, the kind that wonders if this is what Willow saw when she was in Gilesland with you."

He chuckled nervously. "You've never been one to mince words."

"Why would I?" She turned her head and placed her hand over his. "So…is it?"

"Hm? Oh…um…not exactly. A similar situation, though."

Buffy grinned brightly. "So…she caught us having sex? I bet you were…mortified."

He laughed and entwined his fingers with hers. "Embarrassed more than mortified. Mortification would have been if she had decided to go one more room down the hall."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, really? What was going on in the next room?"

He reddened immediately. "Buffy…"

"Oh, come on…tell me."

"Would you go on a date with me?"

"The 'King of Topic Change' returns…"

He smiled and rubbed his thumb over the smooth skin of her stomach. "It's just that we seem to have done things a bit…well, backwards."

"You mean with the whole declaring our love and having sex without going on our first date?"

"Yes, precisely." He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I would very much like to take you out."

She was quiet for a few moments before taking a deep breath. "Considering that I would probably spend the rest of my life with you, if you asked, it'd be a little silly if I said no to a date, huh?"

"You'd…I'm sorry?"

She chuckled and moved her body so that she was snuggled up against him. "Relax, Giles. I'm not asking you to settle down and get married and make babies with me right now. I'm just saying that…when and if you're ready, all you'd have to do is ask."

He stared at her in disbelief for a moment. "When, not if."

"Huh?"

"When I'm ready, I will ask. There is no question of whether it is 'when' or 'if'." When she offered him a broad smile, he cleared his throat. "So…was that 'yes' to a date with me?"

"Mm-hm, definitely."

He lowered his head to the pillow and pulled her into his arms. "Well, now that that is settled…shall we try to get some more sleep?"

She yawned and nodded. "I love you, Giles."

"I love you too, Buffy."

He had almost dozed off when she spoke sleepily. "Giles?"

"Hm?"

"What was going on in the next room?"

He chuckled softly and tightened his hold on her. "We were playing backgammon."

"Liar." She yawned again. "I'll get it out of you one day, you know."

"I've no doubt. But, this isn't the day." He combed his fingers through her hair and whispered softly. "Go to sleep, Buffy. We have plenty of time to discover each other's fantasies."

"Mm-hm." She mumbled against his chest. "Won't forget…"

He smiled, closing his eyes when he felt her body begin to relax in his arms. "I'm rather sure you won't."

Within ten minutes, both were sleeping soundly and dreaming of what tomorrow would bring.

 

~ End


End file.
